Monthly Archives: September 2009

No sleep from 2 to 5 ― then to 8 but no Greek. Dark gray stormy weather. Eyes & stomach bad. No letters early. Worked a good deal at the large Petra ― it is not worse, & that is something. Dread of its becoming so, often makes me flag flag [in] working. At 3 ― while looking at the really fine sea & knock-down heap of dirt, came the Rev. St. Quentin, uncle of “Arabella” Gage, very agreable [sic] man. ― (Diamantina Bowen has gone onto the Alex.dra on her way to Morton Bay.)

After that came 3 letters, Gush, Husey Hunt; ― & W.G. Clark: a very nice letter ― about the Bassae. Then came V. Crake ― who is always “niente, però buono.” ((“Nothing, but all right.”))

At 5½ then, it was time to walk ― so I did, ― & back by 7½.

Dinner. The new lodgers are not satisfactory ―; the gent. is mad: & the aperient servant is a keeper. ―

Greek till 8. ― Very wonderfully lovely day all through, & now are beginning those beautiful evening Western skies, which often go on till Xmas.

At 12 W. & E. Newsom came, & I put out my 2 pictures carefully for them; & they really were pleased. ― Then I showed them a few of the Palestine drawings which he entered into more than she: but how difficult must it be to do that! Even I believe that after a few years, if I lived here, I should forget all I have seen, save dimly generally, or brightly by fits. We are as we are. Bother! How little way of improvement one makes! ― “Is it worth the keeping?” ― so hard a trial? ―

Yes. Better strive on.

Concerning painting, I worked at the big Petra to day. At sunset, walked by the sea ― low tide ― & Martello towers ― & to the post. Then dined on everlasting cold beef & novel oysters. ― Read Channing. ((Perhaps the Transcendentalist poet William Ellery Channing (1818-1901), but more probably his omonymous uncle, the foremost Unitarian preacher in the United States in the early nineteenth century (1780-1842), whose works had had several editions in the first half of the century.))

Worked from 11½ to 5½ at Petra theatre, at first badly ― but latterly well, ― or better.

Rain at 5. ― Nevertheless walked to 6 Meadow Cottages, & sate some time with the Newsoms ― good kind people. ˇ[hard rain] Home by 7½ to my good dinner of stewed beef ― & thank for the change from mutton.